News Local/State
The Illinois Senate made progress Tuesday on its so-called grand bargain.
Senators approved measures intended to streamline local government, expand casino gambling, and fully fund the state for the first time in 20 months.
News Local/State
Heavy storms including tornadoes are blamed for two deaths in Illinois overnight.
Authorities say one person was killed in the LaSalle County town of Ottawa when he was struck by an uprooted tree.
And in southern Illinois, the White County Coroner says a suspected tornado hit a small building near a house in the Crossville area, killing a 71-year-old man and injuring his wife.
News Local/State
For the first time since 2005, Urbana will have a new mayor. Alderwoman Diane Marlin bested incumbent Mayor Laurel Prussing by more than 900 votes in Tuesday’s Democratic primary – and she’ll take on Republican Rex Bradfield in the April 4th election. Marlin maintained the early lead she held through early voting, finishing with an unofficial total of 2,427 votes. Prussing had 1,510, while Evelyn Burnette Underwood finished third with 316.
News Local/State
Shortly after the president concludes, Former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear will deliver the Democratic Response to President Trump’s address. Beshear was chosen by Democratic Party leaders for his record, expanding affordable health care. NPR will have a transcript of Beshear’s remarks and journalists across the NPR newsroom will also be annotating his remarks.
News Local/State
President Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time on Tuesday evening at the Capitol, around 8:00 PM Central Time. NPR will offer this live transcript of the remarks, and NPR journalists with expertise in politics, immigration, business, law and more will offer their analysis and annotations.
News Local/State
The Illinois Senate has moved forward on pieces of a budget compromise. But the tough votes are scheduled for Wednesday. The Senate approved non-contentious parts of what's called the "grand bargain'' on Tuesday. It's an effort to find a breakthrough on a two-year stalemate between Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Legislature.
News Local/State
150 years ago, on February 28, 1867, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation creating the Illinois Industrial University, or as we now know it, the University of Illinois.
The university is celebrating the anniversary of that event on Tuesday, as it launches Sesquicentennial events that will go on for more than a year.
The celebrating begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the U of I’s Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana.
News Local/State
President Donald Trump will deliver his first address to a Joint Session of Congress at 8 pm (CT) Tuesday, Feb. 28. Stream the address live from here, with special PBS NewsHour coverage beginning at 6 pm (CT).
News Local/State
The polls are open from 6 AM until 7 PM in Urbana Tuesday, as voters choose a Democratic nominee for mayor in a primary election.
Urbana voters are choosing from incumbent Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing, who seeking a fourth term, and two challengers: Alderwoman Diane Marlin and the Reverend Evelyn Burnett Underwood. The winner faces Republican Rex Bradfield in the April 4th election.
News Local/State
Now Illinois is $130 billion away from having its pension systems fully funded. The debt is the standing legacy of the 100-plus years of missed opportunity. Those contributions that Illinois never made could’ve sat in investments and banks, accruing interest and returns — namely the world’s postwar boom that has only lately started to subside. Public employees are in the political crosshairs through no fault of their own.
